Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service HAMPTON, Ga. – On Sunday night, after 17 barren years, Kevin Harvick finally completed the second chapter of his love affair with Atlanta Motor Speedway. In the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season, Harvick delivered a proper thrashing to the rest of the field, leading 181-of-325 laps and beating runner-up Brad Keselowski to the finish line by 2.690 seconds. Early in 2001, after Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a last-lap crash in the DaytonaRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Had it not been for the dominating day by Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski could have been celebrating two wins in a row at Atlanta Motor Speedway. However, it was still a successful day for the No. 2 team in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 as they ended the day with a runner-up finish, along with a stage win. “I had a blast today,” said Keselowski. “Just really, really working your tail off in the car. It’s kind of old school. “We were good, butRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway resulted in three wrecked race cars for Jimmie Johnson, including one in last Sunday’s Daytona 500 when he was involved in a multi-car accident on Lap 60. Johnson left Daytona Beach “really bummed out” and headed for a few days with his girls at Disney World before arriving at the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Hampton, Georgia track has suited Johnson well during his career. Leading all active drivers with five wins and a 105.4 driver rating, it appeared toRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 seemed to a return to form for Clint Bowyer. Bowyer ran up front for much of the 500-mile race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He finished third, a part of a Ford Performance sweep of the top three finishing positions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In the final 25-lap run to the finish, Bowyer restarted inside the top-five. His No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion held station on the old, worn-out track surface. Bowyer defended against charges fromRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor It’s been a rough afternoon for Martin Truex, Jr. and his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing team, the defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions, as pre-qualifying inspection at Atlanta Motor Speedway went from bad to worse for the Denver, Colorado based team. Failing inspection after three separate trips through NASCAR’s new Optical Scanning Station, the team was penalized with the loss of car chief Blake Harris for the weekend, as well as being docked 30 minutes of practice time. Fearing a fourth failure andRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service HAMPTON, Ga. – Ryan Newman was within seconds of breaking a pole drought that dates to 2013 – until Kyle Busch made his final-round qualifying run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Covering the 1.54-mile distance in 30.024 seconds (184.652 mph) in the money round of Friday’s knockout qualifying session, Busch edged Newman by .038 seconds to win his first pole of the young Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, his first at Atlanta and the 28th of his career. Starting up front is certainly a benefitRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Eastman Performance Films, LLC announced at the Eastman’s Elite Dealer Conference in San Diego Friday they’ve struck a three-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports to sponsor Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Eastman’s product LLumar Window Film will be Bowman’s primary sponsor for one race in 2018 and two races for both 2019 and 2020 seasons. Eastman now becomes the fourth primary sponsor for the No. 88 team this season, joining alongside Nationwide (19 races), Axalta (15 races) and Valvoline (two races). “We are pleasedRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor After last Sunday’s barn burner of a finish in the Daytona 500, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series packs up and heads to Georgia for this weekend’s running of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With a track surface that is old and worn, having not been repaved since its reconfiguration in 1997, Atlanta always gets rave reviews from drivers who enjoy slipping and sliding around on the worn out asphalt. The track has been unpredictable when it comes to whichRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor The start of the 2001 season started off with a dark cloud hanging over the sport following the death of Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500, but as the series rolled into Atlanta, little did they know that the healing would start just 500 miles later. Kevin Harvick, who had taken over the seat left vacant by Earnhardt at Richard Childress Racing following his passing, was making his third start of his Cup Series career in the renumbered white No. 29 car and it did notRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer NASCAR’s youth movement continues as Cole Custer will make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Custer will drive the No. 51 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Rick Ware Racing at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. The Ladera Ranch, CA native will also compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas Racing. At Las Vegas Custer has two starts. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the NASCAR Next alumnus finished third while competing for JR Motorsports in 2016. In 2017, CusterRead More